This morning I let the girls out and gave them the morning sunflower hearts then Speckles went straight to the grit. She then went into the nest box and started picking up pine shavings and placing them on her back. I knew this meant that she was getting ready to start laying.
Speckles is back in the nest box
Speckles is placing pine shavings on her back
Chickens do this from their instinct in the natural world to hide themselves while vulnerable while laying their egg. We always smile and say that we can no longer see whichever girl has a little heap of shavings on her back.
This is a sure sign that an egg will be arriving soon. I really expected to find an egg when I went back to check but Speckles was back out in the run and there was no egg in the nest box. It seems that she is just practising but I am expecting an egg from her very soon.
Today the rest of the snow has melted and it has been so nice to have higher temperatures. The soil in the run has softened again and the patio area seems so light. We connected the automatic door opener again and everything seems back to normal for now. Perhaps spring is finally on it’s way.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Speckles looks very good, nice that you will be getting her eggs soon.
So good to look out the window and see green, not white.
It is great to be anticipating eggs again and I have never been so pleased to see a change in the weather. I am so glad to see the back of the snow and ice.
Hi Carol,
Glad all is well, I hope we are done with the snow and temperatures should get better now. It’s long due.
It’s great that they’re laying again!
It is good to have them laying again and I am so pleased to see better conditions. Hopefully spring is now on it’s way.
Speckles is looking stunning – I always marvel at the huge difference in her comb when in and out of lay.
She does have the most amazing changeable comb.
I’d never heard about the hiding themselves thing. That’s absolutely adorable! I’m going to have to have a peek in when my girls are laying to see if they do the same!
Love to learn new chicken facts..
Tx
In the natural world they would put grass or leaves on themselves but in a nest box they are happy to use the pine shavings. Sometimes they pick up the shavings and place them on their back with such care and you can’t help but be amused by the fact that they have camouflaged themselves with about five pine shavings rendering them invisible – not! As you say – adorable.